Synthesis of amorphous carbon functionalized Fe3O4 nanoparticles as a smart nanosorbent for organic dyes removal

Abstract

A core–shell Fe₃O₄@C nanocomposite consisting of a layer of amorphous carbon functionalized on the Fe₃O₄ surface has been synthesized via a simple hydrothermal process of a suspension of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles and glucose. Using this approach, the thickness of the amorphous carbon shell can be well controlled by changing the mass ratio of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles to glucose. The specific characteristics of Fe₃O₄@C were also analyzed. The results obtained revealed that the adsorption of methylene blue (MB) onto the Fe₃O₄@C nanosorbent is strongly dependent on the thickness of the carbon shell. The Fe₃O₄@C nanosorbent could be recovered for reuse with 83% effective removal at the 5th cycle. With its excellent performance, Fe₃O₄@C nanocomposite has great potential applications as a smart nanosorbent, including high adsorption capacity, recoverability and recyclability for organic dye removal.